Scavenger Hunt - August - from Happy Mom

Hello Swappers & Friends!

Here are my photos for this month's Scavenger Hunt swap on Swap-bot.  Hope you enjoy seeing them, and please share your swap with me, if you'd like.  I always enjoy seeing everyone's photos - Thanks!

1 - Something cluttered:  I am happy to report that this is a "before" photo.  We had so much "stuff" piled in the backyard - under the deck - in the shed - leaned up against trees, etc...  Hubby finally pulled it all together, pitched some, stored some and got rid of most of it.  This is just one pile he sorted through.  Next step - New grass next Spring!

Why do we have all this????

2 - Something heart-shaped: I came across this chewed-up leaf and noticed that it was kind of in the shape of a heart.  I also received this cute heart-shaped trinket dish in a swap, and thought I'd share them both.

Trinket dish

chewed-up leaf

3 - Something I'm proud of:  These top 2 shelves on my bookcase display several things that I've proud of, so I took a picture of both shelves.  On the top shelf, you'll see 3 awards from the company I work for.  I've made the Presidents Club twice and received the Ian Mackenzie Award once.  These are based on being one of the top Regional Managers for the year.  You may have seen the photo in the back.  That's got my Mom and Dad at their wedding in 1954, and my Dad and me at my wedding in 1985.  I wore my mom's wedding gown, so it's the same dress in both photos, and the same man.  You also see the plaque that says SEEK GOD FIRST.  My faith is very important to me, and though I wouldn't say "proud" is a good description, I am very thankful for all the blessings in my life.  This is a great reminder to me, of one of my favorite scriptures: "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17

On the second shelf, you'll see some knick-knacks, along with another award from work (#1 New Business that year), and a drawing my son made me (in the black frame).  Very proud of everything!

Knick-knacks and awards

4 - Something older than me:  I passed this old church on a recent road trip to Harrisonburg, Virginia.  When I got home, I looked them up ONLINE and read that this building was built in 1918.

Otterbein United Methodist Church

5 - Beautiful or intriguing clouds:  I took this on a road trip to Virginia Beach.  My INSTAGRAM has lots of photos of clouds and skies, as I find them all fascinating!  

Virginia Beach Boardwalk 

So...there you have it!  Thanks for visiting and for posting a rating so I know you've received my swap.  Hope to swap again soon!

ESG: My Favorite Photo - July from Happy Mom

Hello Swappers and Friends!  I'm trying a new layout for this month's Favorite Photo swap.  Your feedback would be appreciated!  I'm not really a blogger, and I'm not very good at working with the layout, so I'm trying to simplify things.  Forgive me if I lose some of the aesthetics in the process!  I hope you like the photos this month - I always love sharing and seeing everyone else's pictures too. 

This month, I'm starting with my favorite pictures of flowers.  I've seen some lovely displays when I'm out and about...but my favorite is one I call my "Fred Rose".  I'll always remember when I called my friend Linda the day my dad died, and within minutes, she was at my house with a rosebush.  My husband planted it for me, and it's done well every year.  My dad died in 2000, but the rosebush lives on!

Fred's Rose

We pass these when I take my dog on her walk every day.

Also seen when walking the dog.  My neighbors have such lovely flowers!

This next photo was taken when my husband, daughter and I left a local restaurant, and we saw this beautiful rainbow.  So many people stopped what they were doing, pulled out their cell phones and took pictures.  At one point, you could see a complete double rainbow and it was just beautiful!

I took a picture of husband and daughter taking a picture!

  On our way home from dinner, we stopped at Target.  They went in the store, and I stayed outside.  I caught this beautiful sky while they were shopping.

One more sky photo - I'm obsessed!

Sunset in Roanoke, VA

My final offering this month is one I snagged off Facebook.  The two in the picture are Bryon and Alisha - They are my daughter's friends who moved from Richmond to Virginia Beach to be the worship leaders of a new church there.  They've been married for a few years and I just loved the pictures they shared from a photo shoot they did.  

So -- that's a wrap for this time around!  I hope you enjoyed the photos, and as always, I'd love to see what you shared for your swap, even if we're not partnered on Swap-bot, if you care to share.  Have a wonderful August, and hope to swap again soon!